Ardbeg 10YO

Ardbeg was officially established by the MacDougall family in 1815, the same year as Laphroaig came into official existence a few miles along the road. Like its fellow southern Ileachs, Laphroaig and Lagavulin, Ardbeg is heavily peated, with a turfy smoke and sea-spray character predominant in most bottlings. 

Ardbeg Ten Years Old is revered around the world as the peatiest, smokiest, most complex single malt of them all. Yet it does not flaunt the peat; rather it gives way to the natural sweetness of the malt to produce a whisky of perfect balance. Named World Whisky of the Year in 2008.

A burst of intense smoky fruit escapes into the atmosphere. Peat infused with zesty lemon and lime, wrapped in waxy dark chocolate. Bold menthol and black pepper slice through the sweet smoke followed by tarry ropes and graphite. An explosion of crackling peat sets off millions of flavor explosions in the mouth: peat effervesces with tangy lemon and lime juice, black pepper pops with sizzling cinnamon-spiced toffee. Then comes a wave of brine infused with smooth buttermilk, ripe bananas and currants. The finish goes on and on. Long and smoky with tarry espresso, aniseed, toasted almonds and traces of soft barley and fresh pear.